Method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized recycling of single-use camera and permitting authorized reuse of the camera

ABSTRACT

When an exposure counter in a single-use camera indicates that the maximum number of exposures on a roll of film in the camera have been exposed, a function of the camera such as an electronic flash capability is disabled to prevent unauthorized recycling of the camera. A reset code must be inputted to the camera to initialize the exposure counter and to enable the electronic flash capability, to permit authorized reuse of the camera with another roll of film. If an invalid code is inputted to the camera, the electronic flash capability is permanently disabled or cannot be re-enabled for a period of time.

This application is a reissue application for U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,265issued May 14, 1996, based on application Ser. No. 08/370,084, filedJan. 9, 1995. .Iaddend.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Reference is made to commonly assigned application Ser. No. 08/210,983,U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,585, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTINGUNAUTHORIZED RECYCLING OF SINGLE-USE CAMERA AND PERMITTING AUTHORIZEDREUSE OF THE CAMERA, and filed Mar. 21, 1994 in the name Dwight J.Petruchick and Clay A. Dunsmore.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and inparticular to single-use cameras. More specifically, the inventionrelates to a method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized recyclingof a single-use camera after a roll of film in the camera is completelyexposed and for permitting authorized reuse of the camera when the rollof film is replaced with another one.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Film and cameras that are all in one, commonly referred to as single-usecameras, have recently become well known. Typically, the single-usecamera is a simple point-and-shoot type comprising a plastic main bodyportion which supports a fixed-focus taking lens, a film meteringmechanism, a manual film advance thumbwheel, a single-blade shutter, amanual shutter release button, a frame counter for indicating the numberof exposures remaining for picture-taking, a direct see-throughviewfinder tunnel, and possibly an electronic flash unit. Front and rearplastic casing or cover potions house the main body portion between themto form a light-tight camera unit. A decorative cardboard outer boxcontains the camera unit and has respective openings for the takinglens, the shutter release button, the film advance thumbwheel, theviewfinder tunnel, the frame counter, and a flash emission window.

At the manufacturer, the main body portion is loaded with a conventional12, 24, or 36 exposure 35 mm film cartridge and the front and rearcasing portions are connected to each other and/or to the main bodyportion to assemble the light-tight camera unit. Then, an exposed end ofa supply spool in the main body portion is rotated to factory prewindsubstantially the entire length of the unexposed filmstrip from thecartridge onto the supply spool. Lastly, the outer box is placed on thecamera unit.

After the photographer takes a picture using the single-use camera, heor she manually rotates the thumbwheel in engagement with a take-upspool inside the cartridge to rewind the exposed frame into thecartridge. The rewinding movement of the filmstrip the equivalent ofslightly more than one frame width rotates a metering sprocket inengagement with the filmstrip to decrement the frame counter to its nextlower-numbered setting. When the maximum number of exposures availableon the filmstrip are exposed and the filmstrip is completely rewoundinto the cartridge, the single-use camera is given to a photofinisherwho tears the outer box off the camera unit, separates the rear coverportion from the main body portion, and removes the cartridge with thefilmstrip from the main body portion. Then, he removes the filmstripfrom the cartridge to develop the negatives and make prints for thecustomer, and he forwards the used camera parts to the manufacturer forrecycling, i.e. remanufacture.

During recycling, the main body portion is re-loaded with a filmcassette containing fresh film, and the front and rear casing portionsare re-connected to each other and/or to the main body portion. Then,the exposed end of the supply spool in the main body portion is againrotated to factory prewind substantially the entire length of theunexposed filmstrip from the cartridge onto the supply spool. Lastly, anew outer box is placed on the camera unit.

There is a need recognized in the industry to prevent unauthorizedrecycling of single-use cameras in order to maintain camera quality.Unauthorized recycled cameras may be of lesser quality than authorizedrecycled cameras.

THE CROSS-REFERENCED APPLICATION

The cross-referenced application discloses a method of preventingunauthorized recycling of a single-use camera but permitting authorizedreuse of the camera. According to the method, it is first determinedthat the maximum number of exposures on a roll of film in the camera isexposed. Then, a function of the camera such as electronic flashcapability is disabled to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera witha roll of fresh film. To permit authorized reuse of the camera with theroll of fresh film, a predetermined unique reset code must be inputtedto the camera. The reset code re-enables the function that has beendisabled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, a method of preventingunauthorized recycling of a single-use camera but permitting authorizedreuse of the camera, comprising first determining that a particularevent in the camera has occurred, then disabling a function of thecamera to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera, and then inputting areset code to the camera to re-enable the function that has beendisabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterizedfurther by:

determining whether a reset code that is inputted to the camera is validor invalid; and

preventing the function that has been disabled from being re-enabledpermanently or for a period of time when the reset code is determined tobe invalid.

According to another aspect of the invention, a single-use cameracomprising means for determining that completed use of the camera hasoccurred, means for disabling a function of the camera to preventunauthorized reuse of the camera when completed use of the camera hasoccurred, and means for receiving a reset code from a separate codeinputting device to re-enable the function that has been disabled topermit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterized further by:

means for determining whether a reset code that is inputted to thecamera is valid or invalid; and

means for preventing the function that has been disabled from beingre-enabled at least for a period of time when the reset code isdetermined to be invalid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a single-use camera with abuilt-in electronic flash unit;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the camera as seen from the insideto show various components that comprise a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 3 is a a flow chart;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of other components of the preferredembodiment;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of other components of an alternateembodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a flow chart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is disclosed as being embodied preferably in a single-use35 mm camera having a built-in electronic flash unit. Because thefeatures of such a camera are generally known, the description whichfollows is directed in particular only to those elements forming part ofor cooperating directly with the disclosed embodiment. It is to beunderstood, however, that other elements may take various forms known toa person of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a single-use camera 1which comprises a plastic light-tight camera unit 3 housing a knownfixed-focus taking lens 5, a known film metering mechanism, not show, aknown single-blade shutter 7, a known frame counter 9 for visiblyindicating the number of exposures remaining for picture-taking, and anelectronic flash unit 11. A cardboard outer cover or casing 13 containsthe camera unit 3 and has a front opening 15 for the taking lens 5, atop opening 17 for a manual shutter release button 19, a rear openingfor a manual film advance thumbwheel, not shown, a front opening 21 fora front viewfinder window 23 of a direct see-through viewfinder 25, arear opening, not shown, for a rear viewfinder window 27, a top opening29 for the frame counter 9, a front opening 31 for a flash emissionwindow 33, a top opening 35 for a flash-ready light emitting diode (LED)37, and a front opening 39 for a manual push element 41 which is pushedto the right in FIGS. 1 and 2 to ready the flash unit 11.

The flash unit 11 as shown in FIG. 2 includes a flash circuit board 43on which is mounted a known flash tube 45 located behind the flashemission window 33, a known flash charger circuit 47 for storing asuitable voltage to ignite the flash tube to provide flash illumination,a normally open flash charger circuit switch 49 that is closed bysliding the push element 41 to the right in FIGS. 1 and 2 to activate orenergize the flash charger circuit, and an integrated control circuit(IC) 51. The IC 51 is connected to a separate normally openshutter-flash synch switch 53 which is closed every time the shutterblade 7 is pivoted clockwise in FIG. 2 to momentarily uncover the takinglens 5 to take a picture.

At the manufacturer, the camera unit 3 is loaded with a conventional 12,24, or 36 exposure 35 mm film cartridge and substantially the entirelength of the unexposed filmstrip is factory prewound from the cartridgeonto a spool, not shown, in the camera unit. Also, the frame counter 9is set to the maximum number of exposures available on the unexposedfilmstrip. After the photographer takes a picture, he or she manuallyrotates the thumbwheel to rewind the exposed frame into the cartridge.The rewinding movement of the filmstrip the equivalent of slightly morethan one frame width rotates a metering sprocket, not shown, todecrement the frame counter 9 to its next lower numbered setting, e.g.from "36" to "35". Further details of this operation are disclosed incommonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,366, issued Aug. 10, 1993. Whenthe maximum number of exposures available on the filmstrip are exposedand the filmstrip is completely rewound into the cartridge, thesingle-use camera 1 is given to a photofinisher who first removes thefilmstrip from the camera unit 3 to develop the negatives and thenforwards the camera unit to the manufacturer for recycling. Themanufacturer, in turn, recycles the camera unit 3 by loading it withanother roll of film and repeating the foregoing prewinding process.

The IC 51 includes a known count-down counter 55 which when initializedis set to the maximum number of exposures available on a roll of film inthe camera unit 3 (similar to the frame counter 9). The counter 55 isadapted to be decremented by "1" when the shutter-flash synch switch 53is closed by the shutter blade 7 to take a picture, to provide a countof the number of exposures remaining to be made on the roll of film. Asshown in FIG. 3, each time the shutter-flash synch switch 53 is closed,the IC 51 interrogates the counter 55 to determine whether its count isat least "1". If the count is at least "1" the counter 55 is decrementedby "1". Conversely, if the counter is "0" the flash charger circuit 47is disabled.

When the flash charger circuit 47 is disabled, the camera unit 3 cannotbe effectively recycled unless authorized. According to the invention,there is provided a method of permitting only authorized recycling ofthe camera unit 3. This method is depicted in FIG. 6 and comprises thefollowing steps:

(1) The maximum number of exposures available on a fresh roll of filmloaded or to be loaded in the camera unit 3 is selected on a codeinputting device 57 by manually sliding a pointer 59 to the selectednumber "12" "24" or "36". The code inputting device 57 is shown in FIGS.4 and 5.

(2) A pair of read pins 61 and 63 of the code inputting device 57 aremanually connected to respective mating contacts 65 and 67 of the IC 51to permit the code inputting device to read an identifier code providedby the IC. Preferably, the identifier code is unique to the IC 51 tomake it more difficult to decipher that code and is in electricaldigital format, e.g. a binary number. Alternatively, the identifier codecan be in electrical analog format instead of electrical digital format,e.g. a predetermined voltage, current, resistance or other value. Also,the indentifier code can be optical in nature, such as a bar code, or itcan be magnetic in nature.

(3) The code inputting 57 includes a look-up table 69 having a pluralityof identifier codes (for various IC's), one of which is the identifiercode that has been read in step 2, and a plurality of reset codes thatcorrespond 1:1 to the identifier codes, and is adapted via a centralprocessing unit (CPU), not shown, to select the reset code thatcorresponds to the identifier code that has been read in step 2. Also,the plurality of reset codes correspond 1:1 to various enablement codes(provided in respective IC's), one of which is provided in the IC 51 forinstructing that IC to trigger incrementing the counter 55 from "0" tothe number of exposures selected in step 1 and to trigger re-enablingthe flash charger circuit 47. The reset codes and the enablement codes,like the identifier code, can be a number of different types, e.g.electrical, optical, or magnetic, digital or analog.

(4) A pair of write pins 71 and 73 of the code inputting device 57 aremanually connected to respective mating contacts 75 and 77 of the IC 51to input the reset code that has been selected in step 3 to a comparator79 in the IC. The comparator 79 determines whether the reset code thatis inputted to the IC 51 matches the enablement code in the IC, i.e. itdetermines whether the reset code is valid. Presumably, the reset codethat is inputted to the IC 51 will match the enablement code in the IC.As a result, the counter 55 will be incremented from "0" to the numberof exposures selected in step 1 and the flash charger circuit 49 will bere-enabled.

(5) If the reset code that is inputted to the IC 51 does not match theenablement code in the IC, a visible warning indicator 81 on the codeinputting device 57 is activated. Also, as indicated in FIG. 6, the IC51 is permanently or temporarily disabled to prevent the counter 55 frombeing incremented from "0" to the number of exposures selected in step 1and to prevent the flash charger circuit 47 from being re-enabled.

(5.1) FIG. 4 depicts a means within the IC 51 for permanently disablingthe IC when the reset code that is inputted to the IC does not match theenablement code in the IC. Specifically, in the IC 51 a pair oftransistors 83 and 85 are connected to the comparator 79 and to alead-line 87 from the comparator to the counter 55. The respectivetransistors 83 and 85 are connected to the lead-line 87 at opposite endsof an intermediate fuse-link portion 89 of the lead-line. The fuse-linkportion 89 is constructed to burn or melt when subjected to a relativelyhigh current. When the comparator 79 determines there is no matchbetween the reset code that is inputted to the IC 51 and the enablementcode in the IC, current from a battery to a ground is conducted via thetwo transistors 83 and 85 along the fuse-link portion 89 of thelead-line 87. The two transistors 83 and 85 cause the current in thefuse-link portion 89 to become sufficiently high to melt the fuse-linkportion in order to permanently disable the IC 51. Thus, the counter 55is permanently prevented from being incremented from "0" to the numberof exposures selected in step 1 and the flash charger circuit 47 ispermanently prevented from being re-enabled. Conversely, when thecomparator 79 determines there is a match between the reset code that isinputted to the IC 51 and the enablement code in the IC, current isconducted along the lead-line 87 (including the fuse-link portion 89)from the comparator 79 to the counter 55. Since there is no opportunityfor the current in the fuse-link portion 89 to build up sufficiently tomelt the fuse-link portion, the IC 55 is not disabled. Thus, the counter55 is incremented from "0" to the number of exposures selected in step 1and the flash charger circuit 47 is re-enabled.

(5.2) Alternatively, FIG. 5 depicts a means within the IC 51 fortemporarily disabling the IC, i.e. disabling the IC for a period of timerather than permanently, when the reset code that is inputted to the ICdoes not match the enablement code in the IC. Specifically, when thereset code that is inputted to the IC 51 does not match the enablementcode in the IC, the comparator 79 provides a high signal to a commondiode 91. A power capacitor 93 encapsulated with the IC 51 is chargedthrough the diode 91 in response to the high signal at the diode. As isknown, the capacitor normally stores electrical energy for a period oftime. The capacitor 93, for as long as it is charged, e.g. at least onehour, continuously causes a high-impedance inverter 95 to provide a lowsignal via the lead-line 87 to the counter 55. The low signal at thecounter 55, as long as it remains, prevents the counter from beingincremented from "0" to the number of exposures selected in step 1 andprevents the flash charger circuit 47 from being re-enabled. Conversely,when the reset code inputted to the IC 51 does match the enablement codein the IC, the comparator 79 provides a high signal via the lead-line 87to the counter 55. The high signal at the counter 55 causes the counterto be incremented from "0" to the number of exposures selected in step 1and causes the flash charger circuit 47 to be re-enabled.

The term "code" or "codes" as used in regard to the start code, theidentifier code, the reset code, and the enablement code is intended tobe given the common ordinary meaning, i.e. a system of signals orsymbols for communication used to represent assigned and often secretmeanings, such as in the case of the Morse code and the binary and othermachine languages used in digital computers.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferredembodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations andmodifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope of the invention. For example, insteadof disabling the flash charger circuit 49 to prevent the flash functionof the camera unit 3, anyone of several other known functions oroperations of the camera unit such as shutter operation or film advanceoperation can be disabled. In this sense, the terms "functions" and"operations" are intended to be equivalents. Also, instead of countingthe number of closures of the shutter-flash synch switch 53 for thepurpose of disabling a function of the camera unit 3, various otherevents may be used to determine when to disable a function of the cameraunit. For instance, a function of the camera unit 3 can be disabled inresponse to removing an exposed roll of film from the camera unit, inresponse to removing a battery from the camera unit, or in response toopening the camera unit to remove the exposed roll of film.

As suggested in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,811, issued Jun.4, 1991, the flash circuit board 43 can include means for visiblyindicating the number of times the camera unit 3 has been recycled.

    ______________________________________                                        PARTS LIST FOR FIGS. 1-5                                                      ______________________________________                                        1.           single-use camera                                                3.           light-tight camera unit                                          5.           taking lens                                                      7.           shutter blade                                                    9.           frame counter                                                    11.          flash unit                                                       l3.          outer cover                                                      15.          front opening                                                    17.          top opening                                                      19.          shutter release button                                           21.          front opening                                                    23.          front viewfinder window                                          25.          see-through viewfinder                                           27.          rear viewfinder window                                           29.          top opening                                                      31.          front opening                                                    33.          flash emission window                                            35.          top opening                                                      37.          flash-ready lights emitting diode                                39.          front opening                                                    41.          push element                                                     43.          flash circuit board                                              45.          flash tube                                                       47.          flash charger circuit                                            49.          flash charger circuit switch                                     51.          IC                                                               53.          flash-shutter synch switch                                       55.          counter                                                          57.          code inputting device                                            59.          pointer                                                          61 & 63.     pins                                                             65 & 67.     contacts                                                         69.          look-up table                                                    71 & 73.     pins                                                             75 & 77.     contact                                                          79.          comparator                                                       81.          warning indicator                                                83 & 85.     transistors                                                      87.          lead-line                                                        89.          fuse-link portion                                                91.          diode                                                            93.          capacitor                                                        95.          inverter                                                         ______________________________________                                    

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of preventing unauthorized recycling ofa single-use camera but permitting authorized reuse of the camera,comprising first determining that a particular event in the camera hasoccurred, then disabling a function of the camera to preventunauthorized reuse of the camera, and then inputting an electrical,optical, or magnetic reset code to the camera to re-enable the functionthat has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, ischaracterized further by:determining whether a reset code that isinputted to the camera is valid or invalid; and preventing the functionthat has been disabled permanently from being re-enabled when the resetcode is determined to be invalid; to then prevent the input Of a validcode from ever re-enabling the function.
 2. A method as recited in claim1, wherein the function that has been disabled is prevented from beingre-enabled permanently by applying electrical energy to an electricalcomponent in the camera which operates to destroy the electricalcomponent.
 3. A single use camera comprising means for determining thatcompleted use of the camera has occurred, means for disabling a functionof the camera to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera when completeduse of the camera has occurred, and means for receiving an electrical,optical, or magnetic reset code from a separate code inputting device tore-enable the function that has been disabled to permit authorized reuseof the camera, is characterized further by:means for determining whethera reset code that is inputted to the camera is valid or invalid; andmeans for preventing the function that has been disabled permanentlyfrom being re-enabled when the reset code is determined to be invalid,to then prevent the input of a valid code from ever re-enabling thefunction.
 4. A method of preventing unauthorized recycling of asingle-use camera but permitting authorized reuse of the camera,comprising first determining that a particular event in the camera hasoccurred, then disabling a function of the camera to preventunauthorized reuse of the camera, and then inputting an electrical,optical, or magnetic reset code to the camera to re-enable the functionthat has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, ischaracterized further by:determining whether a reset code that isinputted to the camera is valid or invalid, and unconditionallypreventing the function that has been disabled from being re-enabled fora predetermined fixed period of time when the reset code is determinedto be invalid, to allow the input of a valid code to re-enable thefunction only after the elapse of the predetermined fixed period oftime.
 5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the function that hasbeen disabled is unconditionally prevented from being re-enabled for thepredetermined fixed period of time by charging a power capacitor toprovide electrical energy for the predetermined fixed period of time tokeep the function disabled.
 6. A method of preventing unauthorizedrecycling of a single-use camera but permitting authorized reuse of thecamera, comprising first determining that a particular event in thecamera has occurred, then disabling a function of the camera to preventunauthorized reuse of the camera, and then inputting a reset code to thecamera to re-enable the function that has been disabled to permitauthorized reuse of the camera, is characterized further by:determiningwhether a reset code that is inputted to the camera is valid or invalid;preventing the function that has been disabled from being re-enabled forat least a predetermined delay when the reset code is determined to beinvalid; and discontinuing to prevent the function that has beendisabled from being re-enabled only after the elapse of thepredetermined delay, to then allow the input of a reset code that isdetermined to be valid to re-enable the function.
 7. A single-use cameracomprising means for determining that completed use of the camera hasoccurred, means for disabling a function of the camera to preventunauthorized reuse of the camera when completed use of the camera hasoccurred, and means for receiving an electrical, optical or magneticreset code from a separate code inputting device to re-enable thefunction that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of thecamera, is characterized further by:means for determining whether areset code that is inputted to the camera is valid or invalid; and meansfor preventing the function that has been disabled from being re-enabledat least for a period of time when the reset code is determined to beinvalid, and for discontinuing to prevent the function from beingre-enabled only after the elapse of the period of time to then allow theinput of a valid code to re-enable the function.
 8. A single-use cameraas recited in claim 7, wherein said means for preventing the functionthat has been disabled from being re-enabled for the period of timeincludes a power capacitor which is charged to provide electrical energyfor the period of time to keep the function disabled.
 9. A single-usecamera comprising means for determining that completed use of the camerahas occurred, means for disabling a function of the camera to preventunauthorized reuse of the camera when completed use of the camera hasoccurred, and means for receiving an electrical, optical or magneticreset code from a separate code inputting device to re-enable thefunction that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of thecamera, is characterized further by:means for determining whether areset code that is inputted to the camera is valid or invalid; and meansfor unconditionally preventing the function that has been disabled frombeing re-enabled at least for a predetermined delay when the reset codeis determined to be invalid, to prevent the input of a valid code fromre-enabling the function during the predetermined delay. .Iadd.
 10. Amethod of authorizing reuse of a single-use camera that is automaticallyfunctionally disabled, when the camera determines that a predeterminedevent in the camera has occurred, to prevent unauthorized reuse of thecamera, said method comprises the step of inputting an electrical,optical or magnetic reset code to the camera to re-enable the functionthat has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera and ischaracterized further by the additional steps ofdetermining whether areset code that is inputted to the camera is valid or invalid; andpreventing the function that has been disabled permanently from beingre-enabled when the reset code is determined to be invalid, to thenprevent the input of a valid code from ever re-enabling the function..Iaddend..Iadd.11. A method of authorizing reuse of a single-use camerathat is automatically functionally disabled, when the camera determinesthat a predetermined event in the camera has occurred, to preventunauthorized reuse of the camera, said method comprises the step ofinputting an electrical, optical or magnetic reset code to the camera tore-enable the function that has been disabled to permit authorized reuseof the camera and is characterized further by the additional steps of:determining whether a reset code that is inputted to the camera is validor invalid, and unconditionally preventing the function that has beendisabled from being re-enabled for a predetermined fixed period of timewhen the reset code is determined to be invalid, to allow the input of avalid code to re-enable the function only after the elapse of thepredetermined fixed period of time. .Iaddend..Iadd.12. A method ofauthorizing reuse of a single-use camera that is automaticallyfunctionally disabled, when the camera determines that a predeterminedevent in the camera has occurred, to prevent unauthorized reuse of thecamera, said method comprises the step of inputting an electrical,optical or magnetic reset code to the camera to re-enable the functionthat has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera and ischaracterized further by the additional steps of determining whether areset code that is inputted to the camera is valid or invalid;preventing the function that has been disabled from being re-enabled forat least a predetermined delay when the reset code is determined to beinvalid; and discontinuing to prevent the function that has beendisabled from being re-enabled only after the elapse of thepredetermined delay, to then allow the input of a reset code that isdetermined to be valid to re-enable the function. .Iaddend.